Business phone plans are sold as long lists of features, and most of those lists are written for people who already know what "hunt group" and "call park" mean. This guide explains the common features in plain English: what each one does, who actually needs it, and what to ask before you pay for it.
At the end there's a table of which of these Chargezen has and doesn't have. We're an AI that answers your business number, not a full phone system, so the "no" column is long, and we'd rather you know before you buy.
Numbers
- Local numbers: A number with a local area code. Feels familiar to local callers. Our phone numbers page lists open numbers by area code.
- Toll-free numbers: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 numbers. Free for the caller; useful for national brands and support lines. See toll-free number.
- Number porting: Moving your existing number to a new provider, so the number on your trucks, website and receipts stays the same. See number porting.
- Multiple numbers: Separate numbers for sales and support, or per location or ad campaign. Usually an extra monthly cost each.
- International numbers: Numbers in other countries so local customers there can call you cheaply.
- Caller ID name: The business name shown on some carriers' caller ID.
Answering and routing
- Auto attendant and IVR: "Press 1 for sales, 2 for support." A recorded menu that sends callers to the right place. Useful with several departments. Callers who just want an answer often find them slow. See IVR and our comparison of IVR and AI phone agents.
- Ring groups (hunt groups): One number rings several people, all at once or one after another, until someone answers. Good for small teams sharing calls.
- Call queues: Callers wait in line, with hold music and position announcements, until an agent is free. A call center feature.
- Business-hours routing: Different handling during and after hours, such as ring the office by day and voicemail at night.
- Call forwarding: Send calls to another number, always or when you're busy or don't answer.
- Simultaneous ring: Your desk phone, app and cell ring together.
- Extensions and dial-by-name: Internal short numbers for each person. Matters in offices with many staff.
- AI answering: An AI agent answers the call, has a conversation, answers questions and takes details, then brings in a person when needed. See AI receptionist and AI answering service.
- Answering service: Live operators at an outside company answer from your script.
During the call
- Warm transfer: Hand the call to a colleague after telling them who's calling and why, so the caller doesn't start over. See warm transfer.
- Cold (blind) transfer: Send the call to a colleague without an introduction.
- Hold and call park: Put a caller on hold, or park the call so anyone can pick it up from another phone.
- Listen, whisper and barge: A manager listens silently, speaks only to the agent, or joins the call. Common in call centers.
- Conference calling: Several people on one call.
- Call recording: Saving the audio. Useful for training and disputes; comes with consent rules. See call recording consent.
- Live notes and caller context: Seeing who's calling, their history and past orders while you talk.
After the call
- Voicemail: A message when nobody answers. Still standard, still the place many calls go to die.
- Voicemail transcription: Voicemails turned into text, so you can read them instead of listening.
- Voicemail to email: Voicemails (or their transcripts) emailed to you.
- Call logs: A list of every call, with time, length and outcome.
- Call summaries and transcripts: A written record of what was said, often AI-generated.
- Analytics: Call volume, missed calls, answer times, busiest hours.
Texting
- Business texting (SMS and MMS): Texts and photos to and from your business number. US business texting on local numbers requires 10DLC registration; toll-free numbers need verification.
- Shared inbox: Several people see and reply to texts on one number, with one history per customer. See unified inbox.
- Auto-replies: Automatic responses, for example after hours.
- Scheduled texts: Write now, send later.
- Group and bulk texting: One message to many people; marketing texts need opt-in consent. See our opt-in examples.
Devices, apps and integrations
- Mobile apps: Your business number on your cell, separate from your personal number.
- Desktop and browser apps: Calls and texts from a computer with a headset.
- Desk phones: Physical phones that connect to the system. Still common at front desks.
- Video meetings and team chat: Bundled in some all-in-one systems.
- CRM, help desk and store integrations: Calls and texts logged where your team already works, and customer details shown on the call.
- Fax: Online fax for industries that still need it.
Which features do you actually need?
Match features to your situation rather than buying the longest list:
| Your situation | Features that matter most |
|---|---|
| Solo owner, mostly on the road | Business number on your cell, texting, something that answers when you can't (voicemail transcription, an answering service or AI) |
| Small team sharing one line | Shared inbox, ring group or AI answering, warm transfer, one history per customer |
| Office with departments | Auto attendant or IVR, extensions, business-hours routing, desk phones |
| Sales or support team with high volume | Call queues, listen and barge, recording, analytics, CRM integration |
| Online store | Answers about orders on the call, texting, store integration, recording with a policy |
| Service business with emergencies | Every call answered at any hour, details captured, the right person alerted, photos by text |
Then check our guide to choosing a VoIP provider for how to test and compare, and small business phone plans for what the features cost.
What Chargezen has, and what it doesn't
Chargezen is an AI agent that answers your business number, with your team joining when needed. Here's how it maps to the list above.
| Feature | In Chargezen? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US local and toll-free numbers | Yes | US (+1) only |
| Bring your existing number | Yes | Port your US number in |
| Texting registration (10DLC, toll-free) | Yes | Chargezen files it |
| AI answering | Yes | Concierge answers calls and texts, day and night |
| Caller context | Yes | Recognizes returning callers by number; for Shopify stores, knows their orders |
| Teammate join (listen in, then join) | Yes | From the Finn app or the browser |
| Transfer to a teammate | Yes | From the Finn apps on iPhone and Mac |
| Call recording with notice | Yes | Per-number policy, retention, logged access |
| Voicemail transcripts | Yes | In the Finn app |
| One inbox for calls and texts | Yes | One thread per customer |
| Team alerts | Yes | Finn app and browser; email or text to teammates you pick |
| IVR or phone menus | No | Concierge answers the call itself instead |
| Ring groups, queues, extensions | No | |
| Call forwarding, simultaneous ring | No | |
| Business-hours routing | No | |
| Desk phones | No | Apps and browser only |
| International numbers | No | US numbers only |
| Voicemail to email | No | |
| Fax, video meetings | No |
- AI answers every call: Concierge picks up day and night with the greeting you write, answers from the information you give it and recognizes returning callers by their number. See the AI receptionist and the phone channel.
- Teammates join or take over: When a customer needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and emails or texts the teammates you pick. Listen in with your microphone off, tap Join the call, and Concierge tells the caller you're there. From the Finn app on iPhone or Mac you can transfer the call to a teammate, with a note. See phone calls.
- Calls and texts in one thread: Each customer's calls, texts and messages land in one conversation in the team inbox, so whoever picks it up sees the whole story.
When a full phone system is the better buy: if the "No" rows are the features you need, look at providers built for them. Our compare pages cover RingCentral, Dialpad, Aircall, JustCall, Quo, Grasshopper and Google Voice, and list what each has that we don't.
Concierge Starter is $20 a month with 20,000 credits. Pro is $199 a month with 199,000 credits, or $1,990 a year. Texts are 2¢ per message part and calls are billed as you use them, with no per-user fees. See pricing.
Related terms: IVR, warm transfer, unified inbox and AI receptionist. Related guides: how to choose a VoIP provider, small business phone plans and how to share one business number with your team.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an auto attendant and an IVR?
People use the terms loosely. An auto attendant usually means a simple recorded menu that routes calls; IVR (interactive voice response) can also take input, like an account number, and look things up.
Is a ring group the same as simultaneous ring?
Close. A ring group rings several people's phones for one number; simultaneous ring usually means several of one person's devices ring together.
Which features cost extra?
It varies by provider. AI answering, call queues, extra numbers, recording storage, analytics and some integrations are common add-ons. Check the plan that includes everything you need, not the cheapest plan.
Do I need call recording?
Not always. It helps with training and disputes. If you record, follow the consent rules where your callers are and set how long you keep recordings.
